How to manage keeping storage under control

[baz]

Subject: How to manage keeping storage under control

Several years ago David Baker (owner of R-21EC, R-25, R-29, Helmsman Trawler and still hanging about still) stated what I consider to be good advice related to keeping stored gear on the boat under control. I've used this advice to good use and have benefited from it.

The advice is to annually remove EVERY THING from the boat and layout on the dock. Sort things out on the dock; need to keep, no longer needed, sorted in piles associated with where they get stored on board, etc.

It would help to have another person on the dock to avoid having to get off/on the boat constantly.

Once you have every thing sorted out on the dock start bringing the gear back onboard and stowed into their proper locations.... possible making a ordered list on a notepad for future reference. :lol:

If you do this things will be in their proper place on the boat, you will know where it all is from the note taking and things that are no longer needed can be left ashore resulting in a lighter boat.

You will be amazed at what things you find that are no longer needed to be onboard. 😉

It's all a matter of being shipshape, as the sailor would say. 😀

 

[NorthernFocus]

Living where our boating is seasonal and having to winterize the boat makes some of that sorting happen naturally. Pretty much everything, including the batteries, comes off the boat at end of season and goes onto dedicated shelves in the garage. When getting things together at start of season I go through the process of asking myself what has been historically useful and/or is truly critical and what's not. Years ago, and early in our marriage, we lived aboard for several years. There's nothing like living in tight quarters to make you become efficient with using space.

On a similar note, another good practice to get into is rotating any spare parts, filters, etc, that you carry on the boat. I always use the spare oil filter, fuel filter, etc, during routine maintenance and put the newly purchased ones into the spare parts kit. Many people do the opposite. But typically when you need to use spare parts it is associated with some urgency and not a good time to discover dry rotted belts/impellers, rusty parts/tools, water soaked filters, etc.